Languages as a force for change: Taking inspiration from Portsmouth
It’s Portsmouth Language Week this week, part of the innovative Portsmouth City of Languages initiative, co-led by NCLE’s Solent Language Network.
Read on to find out more about the Cities of Languages initiative, how NCLE is supporting them, and ways you can get involved in this type of high-impact collaboration.
Portsmouth: A city of languages in action
The Portsmouth Education Partnership organises a week-long City of Languages celebration each year. This initiative highlights the incredible richness and diversity of languages, cultures and experiences within Portsmouth. It celebrates the languages spoken and studied in Portsmouth’s schools and communities, and encourages people of all ages to enjoy learning languages, both in the classroom and beyond.
This music video features young singers from across the city celebrating the many languages spoken and learned in our community. Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/0y5_hrZpZzo
Why Cities of Languages are so impactful
Portsmouth City of Languages is a truly multi-agency approach. The three main lead partners are NCLE Solent Language network https://www.solentlanguages.co.uk/, the University of Portsmouth and Portsmouth City Council.
Portsmouth City of Language offers support for primary and secondary, but also Adult and Higher Education, Community Languages, BSL and ESOL. It offers partnerships, events, activities and the annual Celebrating Languages in Portsmouth Week.
NCLE’s Solent Languages network, led by Admiral Lord Nelson School, link language education with real-world careers, local and global partnerships, and meaningful cross-phase collaboration.
They also coordinate the regional Language Network of schools and practitioners, building links and partnerships across Portsmouth and across the region.
Answering the government’s call that ‘children [should] not see their life chances dictated by their background’
Having such a coordinated approach between a local lead school (with its remit as an NCLE Language Network lead to build networks and partnerships regionally), the local university and the city council, ensures a very effective way of deploying languages and education resources ‘to break down barriers to opportunity through civic engagement, using language learning as a powerful tool for employability, cultural inclusion, and community cohesion’.
For context: Portsmouth is a historically internationally-focussed city with a long military and maritime history. However there are areas of deprivation and the city overall is within the 25% most deprived local authority areas in the country [1].
‘The impact of celebrating languages across a city is especially powerful as it can both valorise the languages and cultures of multilingual children, and shine a light on how language learning broadens horizons for all young people, regardless of their socio-economic background.’
– Clare Allison, NCLE Home, Heritage and Community Languages Officer
Success leads to success
This week saw the incredible news that Portsmouth has been named on the longlist for UK City of Culture 2029!
‘Congratulations to Portsmouth Creates CIC, in partnership with Portsmouth City Council, who led the bid, which reflects the ambition, creativity and shared pride that define our city. Reaching this stage is an important moment as it recognises the strength of Portsmouth’s cultural voice and the power of culture to bring people together, create opportunity and help shape the city’s future.’
– Liz Lord, Solent Language Network, Primary Languages Lead.
Cities of Languages show that focussed collaboration can lead to improved outcomes.
Three easy ways you can explore collaborations in your area:
- Explore Cities of Languages across the UK on this page hosted by NCLE strategic partner the Association for Language Learning: https://www.all-languages.org.uk/cities-of-languages/
Cities of Languages currently exist in Newcastle, Leeds, London, Manchester, Portsmouth, Liverpool, Aberdeen, Coventry, and Sheffield. - Think about how you can get involved:
Can you participate in, or support, activities in your nearest City of Languages?
Some Cities welcome participation from colleagues from across the country (such as Newcastle’s Express Yourself NE Festival of Languages)
Can you imagine setting up your own local initiative? The page includes details and advice from different Cities. - Join your nearest NCLE Language Network to connect with your local community of practice: https://ncle.ucl.ac.uk/language-networks/
Language Networks coordinate National Priority Projects – an opportunity for you to participate in NCLE-led projects on the ground addressing recognised issues in languages teaching. Find out more here: https://ncle.ucl.ac.uk/national-priority-projects/
[1] https://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/services/health-and-wellbeing/joint-strategic-needs-assessment/index-of-multiple-deprivation-for-portsmouth/